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　and　I　hope　they　will　do　her　a　world　of　good。　　As　soon　as　they　have　left　Paris　I　will　let　you　know；　and　then　you　will　of　course　admit　that；　virtually；　I　am　free。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　aware；〃　said　Gordon；　〃that　we　have　the　advantage　of　being　natives　of　a　country　in　which　marriages　may　be　legally　dissolved。〃

Angela　stared；　then；　softly

〃Are　you　speaking　of　a　divorce？〃

〃I　believe　that　is　what　they　call　it；〃　Gordon　answered；　gazing　back　at　her　with　his　densely　clouded　blue　eyes。　〃The　lawyers　do　it　for　you；　and　if　she　goes　away　with　Lovelock；　nothing　will　be　more　simple　than　for　me　to　have　it　arranged。〃

Angela　stared；　I　say；　and　Bernard　was　staring；　too。　　Then　the　latter；　turning　away；　broke　out　into　a　tremendous；　irrepressible　laugh。

Gordon　looked　at　him　a　moment；　then　he　said　to　Angela；　with　a　deeper　tremor　in　his　voice

〃He　was　my　dearest　friend。〃

〃I　never　felt　more　devoted　to　you　than　at　this　moment！〃　Bernard　declared；　smiling　still。

Gordon　had　fixed　his　sombre　eyes　upon　the　girl　again。

〃Do　you　understand　me　now？〃

Angela　looked　back　at　him　for　some　instants。

〃Yes；〃　she　murmured　at　last。

〃And　will　you　wait；　and　give　me　another　chance？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　in　the　same　tone。

Bernard　uttered　a　quick　exclamation；　but　Angela　checked　him　with　a　glance；　and　Gordon　looked　from　one　of　them　to　the　other。

〃Can　I　trust　you？〃　　Gordon　asked。

〃I　will　make　you　happy；〃　said　Angela。

Bernard　wondered　what　under　the　sun　she　meant；　but　he　thought　he　might　safely　add

〃I　will　abide　by　her　choice。〃

Gordon　actually　began　to　smile。

〃It　won't　be　long；　I　think；　two　or　three　weeks。〃

Angela　made　no　answer　to　this；　she　fixed　her　eyes　on　the　floor。

〃I　shall　see　Blanche　as　often　as　possible；〃　she　presently　said。

〃By　all　means！　　The　more　you　see　her　the　better　you　will　understand　me。　〃

〃I　understand　you　very　well　now。　　But　you　have　shaken　me　very　much；　and　you　must　leave　me。　　I　shall　see　you　alsooften。〃

Gordon　took　up　his　hat　and　stick；　he　saw　that　Bernard　did　not　do　the　same。

〃And　Bernard？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃I　shall　ask　him　to　leave　Paris；〃　said　Angela。

〃Will　you　go？〃

〃I　will　do　what　Angela　requests；〃　said　Bernard。

〃You　have　heard　what　she　requests；　it　's　for　you　to　come　now。〃

〃Ah；　you　must　at　least　allow　me　to　take　leave！〃　cried　Bernard。

Gordon　went　to　the　door；　and　when　he　had　opened　it　he　stood　for　a　while；　holding　it　and　looking　at　his　companions。　　Then

〃I　assure　you　she　won't　be　long！〃　he　said　to　Angela；　and　rapidly　passed　out。

The　others　stood　silent　till　they　heard　the　outer　door　of　the　apartment　close　behind　him。

〃And　now　please　to　elucidate！〃　said　Bernard；　folding　his　arms。

Angela　gave　no　answer　for　some　moments；　then　she　turned　upon　him　a　smile　which　appeared　incongruous；　but　which　her　words　presently　helped　to　explain。

〃He　is　intensely　in　love　with　his　wife！〃






CHAPTER　XXIX

This　statement　was　very　effective；　but　it　might　well　have　seemed　at　first　to　do　more　credit　to　her　satiric　powers　than　to　her　faculty　of　observation。　　This　was　the　light　in　which　it　presented　itself　to　Bernard；　but；　little　by　little；　as　she　amplified　the　text；　he　grew　to　think　well　of　it；　and　at　last　he　was　quite　ready　to　place　it；　as　a　triumph　of　sagacity；　on　a　level　with　that　other　discovery　which　she　had　made　the　evening　before　and　with　regard　to　which　his　especial　errand　to…day　had　been　to　congratulate　her　afresh。　It　brought　him；　however；　less　satisfaction　than　it　appeared　to　bring　to　his　clever　companion；　for；　as　he　observed　plausibly　enough；　Gordon　was　quite　out　of　his　head；　and；　this　being　the　case；　of　what　importance　was　the　secret　of　his　heart？

〃The　secret　of　his　heart　and　the　condition　of　his　head　are　one　and　the　same　thing；〃　said　Angela。　　〃He　is　turned　upside　down　by　the　wretchedly　false　position　that　he　has　got　into　with　his　wife。　She　has　treated　him　badly；　but　he　has　treated　her　wrongly。　They　are　in　love　with　each　other；　and　yet　they　both　do　nothing　but　hide　it。　　He　is　not　in　the　least　in　love　with　poor　me　not　to…day　any　more　than　he　was　three　years　ago。　He　thinks　he　is；　because　he　is　full　of　sorrow　and　bitterness；　and　because　the　news　of　our　engagement　has　given　him　a　shock。　But　that　's　only　a　pretexta　chance　to　pour　out　the　grief　and　pain　which　have　been　accumulating　in　his　heart　under　a　sense　of　his　estrangement　from　Blanche。　　He　is　too　proud　to　attribute　his　feelings　to　that　cause；　even　to　himself；　but　he　wanted　to　cry　out　and　say　he　was　hurt；　to　demand　justice　for　a　wrong；　and　the　revelation　of　the　state　of　things　between　you　and　me　which　of　course　strikes　him　as　incongruous；　we　must　allow　largely　for　thatcame　to　him　as　a　sudden　opportunity。　No；　no；〃　the　girl　went　on；　with　a　generous　ardor　in　her　face；　following　further　the　train　of　her　argument；　which　she　appeared　to　find　extremely　attractive；　〃I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say　and　I　deny　it。　　I　am　not　fanciful；　or　sophistical；　or　irrational；　and　I　know　perfectly　what　I　am　about。　　Men　are　so　stupid；　it　's　only　women　that　have　real　discernment。　　Leave　me　alone；　and　I　shall　do　something。　　Blanche　is　silly；　yes；　very　silly；　but　she　is　not　so　bad　as　her　husband　accused　her　of　being；　in　those　dreadful　words　which　he　will　live　to　repent　of。　She　is　wise　enough　to　care　for　him；　greatly；　at　bottom；　and　to　feel　her　little　heart　filled　with　rage　and　shame　that　he　does　n't　appear　to　care　for　her。　　If　he　would　take　her　a　little　more　seriouslyit　's　an　immense　pity　he　married　her　because　she　was　silly！she　would　be　flattered　by　it；　and　she　would　try　and　deserve　it。　　No；　no；　no！　she　does　n't；　in　reality；　care　a　straw　for　Captain　Lovelock；　I　assure　you；　I　promise　you　she　does　n't。　A　woman　can　tell。　　She　is　in　danger；　possibly；　and　if　her　present　situation；　as　regards　her　husband；　lasts；　she　might　do　something　as　horrid　as　he　said。　But　she　would　do　it　out　of　spitenot　out　of　affection　for　the　Captain；　who　must　be　got　immediately　out　of　the　way。　She　only　keeps　him　to　torment　her　husband　and　make　Gordon　come　back　to　her。　　She　would　drop　him　forever　to…morrow。〃　Angela　paused　a　moment；　reflecting；　with　a　kindled　eye。　　〃And　she　shall！〃

Bernard　looked　incredulous。

〃How　will　that　be；　Miss　Solomon？〃

〃You　shall　see　when　you　come　back。〃

〃When　I　come　back？　　Pray；　where　am　I　going？〃

〃You　will　leave　Paris　for　a　fortnightas　I　promised　our　poor　friend。〃

Bernard　gave　an　irate　laugh。

〃My　dear　girl；　you　are　ridiculous！　　Your　promising　it　was　almost　as　childish　as　his　asking　it。〃

〃To　play　with　a　child　you　must　be　childish。　　Just　see　the　effect　of　this　abominable　passion　of　love；　which　you　have　been　crying　up　to　me　so！　By　its　operation　Gordon　Wright；　the　most　sensible　man　of　our　acquaintance；　is　reduced　to　the　level　of　infancy！　　If　you　will　only　go　away；　I　will　manage　him。〃

〃You　certainly　manage　me！　　Pray；　where　shall　I　go？〃

〃Wherever　you　choose。　　I　will　write　to　you　every　day。〃

〃That　will　be　an　inducement；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃You　know　I　have　never　received　a　letter　from　you。〃

〃I　write　the　most　delightful　ones！〃　　Angela　exclaimed；　and　she　succeeded　in　making　him　promise　to　start　that　night　for　London。

She　had　just　done　so　when　Mrs。　Vivian　presented　herself；　and　the　good　lady　was　not　a　little　astonished　at　being　informed　of　his　intention。

〃You　surely　are　not　going　to　give　up　my　daughter　to　oblige　Mr。　Wright？〃　she　observed。

〃Upon　my　word；　I　feel　as　if　I　were！〃　said　Bernard。

〃I　will　explain　it；　dear　mamma；〃　said　Angela。　　〃It　is　very　interesting。　Mr。　Wright　has　made　a　most　fearful　scene；　the　state　of　things　between　him　and　Blanche　is　dreadful。〃

Mrs。　Vivian　opened　her　clear　eyes。

〃You　really　speak　as　if　you　liked　it！〃

〃She　does　like　itshe　told　Gordon　so；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃I　don't　know　what　she　is　up　to！　　Gordon　has　taken　leave　of　his　wits；　he　wishes　to　put　away　his　wife。〃

〃To　put　her　away？〃

〃To　repudiate　her；　as　the　historians　say！〃

〃To　repudiate　little　Blanche！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Vivian；　as　if　she　were　struck　with　the　incongruity　of　the　operation。

〃I　mean　to　keep　them　together；〃　said　Angela；　with　a　firm　decision。

Her　mother　looked　at　her　with　admiration。

〃My　dear　daughter；　I　will　assist　you。〃

The　two　ladies　had　such　an　air　of　mysterious　competence　to　the　task　they　had　undertaken　that　it　seemed　to　Bernard　that　nothing　was　left　to　him　but　to　retire　into　temporary　exile。　He　accordingly　betook　himself　to　London；　where　he　had　social　resources　which　would；　perhaps；　make　exile　endurable。　He　found　himself；　however；　little　disposed　to　avail　himself　of　these　resources；　and　he　treated　himself　to　no　pleasures　but　those　of　memory　and　expectation。　　He　ached　with　a　sense　of　his　absence　from　Mrs。　Vivian's　deeply　familiar　sky…parlor；　which　seemed　to　him　for　the　time　the　most　sacred　spot　on　earth　if　on　earth　it　could　be　calledand　he　consigned　to　those　generous　postal　receptacles　which　ornament　with　their　brilliant　hue　the　London　street…corners；　an　inordinate　number　of　the　most　voluminous　epistles　that　had　ever　been　dropped　into　them。　He　took　long　walks；　alone；　and　thought　all　the　way　of　Angela；　to　whom；　it　seemed　to　him；　that　the　character　of　ministering　angel　was　extremely　becoming。　　She　was　faithful　to　her　promise　of　writing　to　him　every　day；　and　she　was　an　angel　who　wielded　so　at　least　Bernard　thought；　and　he　was　particular　about　letters　a　very　ingenious　pen。　　Of　course　she　had　only　one　topic　the　success　of　her　operations　with　regard　to　Gordon。　〃Mamma　has　undertaken　Blanche；〃　she　wrote；　〃and　I　am　devoting　myself　to　Mr。　W。　It　is　really　very　interesting。〃　　She　told　Bernard　all　about　it　in　detail；　and　he　also　found　it　interesting；　doubly　so；　indeed；　for　it　must　be　confessed　that　the　charming　figure　of　the　mistress　of　his　affections　attempting　to　heal　a　great　social　breach　with　her　light　and　delicate　hands；　divided　his　attention　pretty　equally　with　the　distracted；　the　distorted；　the　almost　ludicrous；　image　of　his　old　friend。

Angela　wrote　that　Gordon　had　come　back　to　see　her　the　day　after　his　first　visit；　and　had　seemed　greatly　troubled　on　learning　that　Bernard　had　taken　himself　off。　〃It　was　because　you　insisted　on　it；　of　course；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　not　from　feeling　the　justice　of　it　himself。〃　　〃I　told　him；〃　said　Angela；　in　her　letter；　〃that　I　had　made　a　point　of　it；　but　t